MATSEC IM Art exam-day guide
MATSEC IM Art · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Printed exam admission document / statement of entry
Bring the printed slip issued by the examining body showing your candidate number, subject, level and venue. Do not rely on a phone screenshot; check the exact document name and whether a photo ID is also required with your school or the examining body before the day.
Valid photo identification
Take the ID type your school or the examining body has told you to bring (often a passport or national ID card). Confirm the accepted forms in advance; do not assume a school ID card is enough.
Artwork and preparatory studies required by the paper
Read the set paper carefully: some practical components require you to bring finished or in-progress work, a sketchbook, or preparatory studies made during the controlled assignment period. Pack exactly what the instructions list and nothing that is prohibited.
Chosen media and full equipment kit
Bring the media you have practised with: pencils, graphite, charcoal, erasers, blending tools, brushes, palette, water container, inks, markers, pastels, or paints as relevant. Bring spares of anything that runs out or breaks easily.
Support or surface appropriate to the task
Bring the paper, board, or canvas size and type specified in the instructions, plus a drawing board or clips if the venue does not supply them. Confirm with the provider what the centre supplies and what you must bring yourself.
Reference material you are allowed to use
If the paper permits reference images or objects, bring only what the rules allow and keep it clearly separate from anything prohibited. If you are unsure whether a reference is allowed, ask your teacher or confirm with the provider beforehand.
Protective and practical extras
Apron or old shirt, tissues or rags, a plastic bag for wet or dirty items, and a water pot with a lid. These are not usually graded but protect your work and the venue.
Watch or small clock
Phones are usually not permitted at the desk, so bring a simple watch to manage time across the timed session. Check whether the venue displays a clock.
Food, water and any permitted medication
Practical sessions can run long. Bring a drink and a snack if the rules allow them, and confirm in advance how to arrange access to medication or extra time if you need it.
Know your venue, room and start time
Confirm the exact building, room and reporting time the day before, and plan transport with a buffer. Arrive early enough to set up materials before the timed work begins.
Confirm break and rest-room arrangements
Ask your teacher or confirm with the provider whether breaks are allowed during the timed session and how supervised rest-room visits work, since rules vary between centres.
Label your work as instructed
Check how your candidate number and any required details must appear on the work. Put them on early so you do not run out of time at the end; confirm the exact labelling requirement with the provider.
Plan the day
Re-read the set paper and the instructions on materials, size and time. Finish any preparatory studies that must be brought in. Do a full timed rehearsal in the media you plan to use, at the size you plan to work, so you know how long each stage takes. Check your supplies: count brushes, sharpen pencils, test pens and markers, and note anything you must buy. Pack the kit in one bag and keep it packed.
Lay out everything on the checklist and match it against the instructions line by line. Confirm venue, room, reporting time and transport. Prepare clothes you do not mind marking and pack protective items. Do not start a risky new technique or a large untested piece. Eat properly, set two alarms, and get a full night's sleep; a steady hand matters more than one extra hour of practice.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive with time to spare. At the desk, set out materials in the order you will use them, secure your support, and check the lighting and your viewing angle. Write your candidate details as instructed before starting. Read the whole task once more and decide your time split: planning and blocking, main development, and finishing and clean-up.
Start with a short planning stage: thumbnail composition, tonal plan, and a decision on focal point. Work from general to specific, keeping the whole image moving rather than perfecting one corner. Keep a watch visible and check progress at roughly the halfway point; adjust scale or detail if you are behind. Protect finished areas from smudging. Reserve the last portion of the session for refinement, removal of construction lines, and safe packing of wet work. Stop when instructed and hand in exactly what the rules require.
Rules to check
Follow the set paper and the centre's instructions exactly on materials, size, media and time; if any instruction is ambiguous, ask the invigilator before you begin rather than guessing.
Bring the identification and admission documents required by the examining body and keep them on the desk if instructed. Confirm the accepted ID forms with the provider in advance.
Do not bring or use prohibited items such as phones, smart watches, or unauthorised reference material at the desk. If you are unsure whether an item is allowed, leave it out or confirm with the provider beforehand.
All work must be your own, produced under the conditions the paper specifies. Do not copy from another candidate or from material that the rules prohibit, and do not let anyone else touch your work.
Ask the invigilator before leaving the room, and expect supervised rest-room visits. Confirm with the provider whether any break is permitted during the timed session.
If you need extra time, a separate room, or other access arrangements, these must normally be agreed well before the exam. Confirm the procedure and deadlines with your school or the provider; they cannot usually be arranged on the day.
Manage your own time within the session; invigilators will announce start and finish but will not warn you about your personal plan.
Hand in only the work and supporting material the instructions require, labelled as directed. Confirm with the provider what happens to unused materials and whether preparatory work must be submitted.